Gangar sues to halt Integrity trial
FORMER United National Congress minister Finbar Gangar is challenging a magistrate’s decision in which legal submissions by his attorney were dismissed. In a judicial review application filed in the High Court, Gangar also challenged the hearing of false declaration charges against him in separate preliminary inquiries. Magistrate Ejenny Espinet has been presiding in Gangar’s summary trials in the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court. Yesterday, Justice Nolan Bureaux granted leave to Gangar and ordered the proceedings stayed in the Magistrates’ Court pending hearing and determination of the ex-minister’s lawsuit. Gangar appeared in the San Fernando High Court yesterday morning with Senior Counsel Desmond Allum, attorneys Prakash Ramadhar, Sunil Gopaul-Gosein, Rajiv Persad and Brian Dabideen. The former energy minister is facing charges on two counts of making a false declaration to the Integrity Commission of his income, assets and liabilities under Section 27 (1) (b) of the Integrity in Public Life Act number 8 of 1987. On the first count, it is alleged that for 1998, he failed to declare money held in six separate bank accounts at Barclays Bank, PLC St Helier, Jersey Channel Islands, JP Morgan Chase and Company, New York, USA; Royal Bank TT, Cross Crossing, San Fernando; Scotiabank, High Street, San Fernando. On the second count, it is alleged that for 1999, he failed to declare money held in seven separate bank accounts at Barclays Bank PLC St Helier, Jersey Channel Islands, JP Morgan Chase and Company, New York, USA; Royal Bank TT, Cross Crossing, San Fernando; Scotiabank, High St, San Fernando. Gangar is contending that Espinet has no jurisdiction to hear the magisterial proceedings since the hearing of the summary charges was not held within the required six months as is required by Section 33 of the Summary Courts Act. He is seeking an order of certiorari to quash Espinet’s decision on October 10, in which she dismissed preliminary submissions, that she has no jurisdiction to hear the proceedings against him. Gangar is seeking a declaration that the magistrate’s decision to do so was illegal and procedurally improper. The former UNC minister is also seeking an order of the court prohibiting Espinet from sitting in the matter to determine the two summary trials. Bureaux listed the matter for hearing on January 5.
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"Gangar sues to halt Integrity trial"